An OFF Navigation Exercise Flight

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Good Evening All,

 

I took some time tonight and put together a short, simple navigation flight for you folks to have a go at and hopefully build confidence in your ability to fly using map, compass, and landmarks. For those who are interested in this primer here is what you will do.

 

 

Begin by saving the following map to your computer:

 

 

 

 

Once you have it, print it out and keep it handy for the flight, (or if you have a second computer bring it up on the screen). Next, go into OFF and start a campaign as a fighter pilot with RFC 1 on 18 August of 1915. You will be assigned the Bristol Scout and fly from Bailleul Asylum in the Flanders region, (but don't worry about the Bristol as you won't be using it for this exercise). Now, rather than launching the campaign, go into Quick Combat instead and pick "Free Flight", then choose the Sopwith Strutter as your aircraft, (not the B1). Also check "Field" as your start location. Do not click on your in-sim map at any time during this exercise and do not use your TAC screen or info display. However, do hit F5 to bring up your compass, altimeter, and air speed indicator. You are now ready to roll from your home aerodrome at Bailleul Asylum, and your first task is to take about 8 to 10 minutes and alt up to 6,000', circling over your aerodrome as you do so. While you are climbing take note of the look of your field and how it is situated in relationship to the town and to "Bailleul Woods" to the east. Also take a good look at those woods as you climb and snap a mental picture as it will be your navigation key upon your return. And, refer to your map and familiarize yourself with your route, (the purple line), and your waypoints.

 

Once you have reached 6,000' turn due west and start the first leg of your trip, (you should still be directly above your aerodrome at this point). If you have your fuel mixture properly set, (or if you are using auto-mixture), and if you hold a steady course and altitude you should reach Boisdingham aerodrome in about 25 minutes. When you are about 12 to 13 minutes along you will want to start watching for the diamond-shaped lake just northwest of St. Omer, it is visible from at least 10 miles out. If you have been flying a steady westerly course you will pass to the south of this lake and should be lined up on Boisdingham aerodrome which is about six miles beyond the lake. Don't confuse it with Quelmes which is just to the southeast of your target aerodrome. Boisdingham runs more or less east-to-west and the hangers lay in a line along the south edge of the field, Quelmes has its hangers in an 'L' pattern.

 

Once you have reached Boisdingham you will turn directly above the field and fly northeast-bearing-east, (NEbE), which is about 56 degrees on the compass. Again, if you hold a steady course and altitude you will reach your next waypoint in about 23 minutes. You are aiming for the front lines 5 miles north-northwest, (NNW), of Dixmude, and the feature that will guide you there is what I refer to as "The Parrot's Eye". It is a small, roundish lake bordered by a river and canals that create what looks like a parrot gazing up towards Tirpitz Battery. Once you have seen it you can spot it from miles away every time. Upon reaching a point just west of "The Parrot's Eye" you will turn and head south-bearing-west, (SbW), or about 191 degress, and aim for home. It should take you no more than 12 minutes to be over "Bailleul Woods" and from there you should have no trouble finding your field and setting down. And once you're back on the ground you and your observer can saunter over to the local pub and drink a toast or two to your navigational prowess. Give yourself a pat on the back as well because you have now successfully completed a 90-mile cross-country flight without the use of your in-sim map or TAC!

 

 

Lou

[Winston DoRight 3]

Looks interesting. Are towns, cities, rivers, roads, lakes and railways positioned in the actual game accurately so as to coincide with your map? Also, does this technique have any real chance of success in a combat flight? Won't all the careful flying by compass and time calculations go out the window after a tangle with the enemy? How do you resume a carefully planned flight after an enemy encounter takes you miles off course, the terrain below not telling you much about your current position?

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Winston, most of your questions are answered in the following thread: Flying By Map And Compass, Part Deux

 

Also, "Yes" to real success in a combat situation. I have been using this method now for about six months in my OFF DiD campaigns. As to resuming your assigned course after a protracted dogfight, you may not be able to as you might find yourself either miles off course or entirely lost. In that situation you will have to do exactly what our RL examples did back in the day, pick a direction you hope will get you to the friendly side of the mud and try and sort out your way home, and barring that, at least finding a friendly base to land at. This happened a lot to WWI flyers and is written about in many personal accounts from the period. I follow this plan when I've gotten into the situation, (and believe me I have gotten into it more than once), and have made my way home by running across landmarks I recognize. I have also landed at unfamiliar aerodromes due to low fuel and still being lost, and once on the ground I go to the in-sim map to see where I ended up, (I treat that as if I'd gone and asked someone my location). I then allow anywhere from one to three days to get back to camp depending on how far away I've landed, and advance time in the campaign accordingly.

 

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[Winston DoRight 3]

OK, thanks that makes perfect sense. I'm off to read part 2.